The Great Tsunami of 1700
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 44° 55.489 W 124° 00.869
10T E 419938 N 4975099
Beaver Board - Oregon Geology - The Great Tsunami of 1700
Waymark Code: WMXJD
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 11/04/2006
Views: 39
This “Beaver Board” sign on Oregon Geology is about The Great Tsunami of 1700 and is located on the south edge of Lincoln City along U.S. Hwy. 101 near milepost 118.
Marker Name: The Great Tsunami of 1700
Marker Text: During the 18th century, Native American villages occupied the mouths of nearly every stream along this coastline -- including here at Siletz Bay. Since native peoples probably had little idea about the relationship between earthquakes and tsunamis, they were taken by surprise in January 1700, when this beach was hit by a devastating tsunami. References to great flooding and ground shaking events in the oral traditions of many Pacific Northwest coastal tribes are probably the records of this event
On January 26, 1700, the earth shook violently in the throes of a magnitude 9+ earthquake that occurred along the great offshore fault system called the Cascadia Subduction Zone. From northern California to British Columbia, the ocean floor heaved upward approximately 20 feet, and within 10-30 minutes a giant wave up to 50 feet high reached the shore. The wave probably struck this beach only 20 minutes after the earthquake. Devastating waves from this event continued to strike the entire coastline for several hours, flooding beaches, bays, tidal channels, and marshes.
Today, we know that major earthquakes and tsunamis occur along this segment of the Pacific coast approximately every 200-1,000 years.
Visit Instructions:
Include your thoughts and observations pertaining to this location and your visit. Provide any additional history that you are aware of that pertains to this location. If the marker commemorates a historic building tell us what it is used for now or share with us the circumstances of an earlier visit to bring this locations history to life.
Please upload a favorite photograph you took of the waymark. Although visiting this waymark in person is the only thing required of you to receive credit for your visit, taking the time to add this information is greatly appreciated.
Be creative.